Even if they weren’t their true matchmakers, Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson will gladly take credit for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s relationship — and Kelce is here for it.
Andrews, 46, and Thompson, 42, jokingly took credit for Kelce and Swift ending up together during their Thursday, May 23, appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 34, called the pair “the best” in response.
“For America!!🇺🇸 😂😂 Charissa and Erin are the best! 🙌🏻🙌🏻,” Kelce commented on an Instagram clip of the pair’s interview.
The NFL commentators and “Calm Down” podcast hosts were quick to claim credit for Kelce and Swift’s relationship when asked about their matchmaker roles by Fallon.
“Yes Jimmy, we are responsible,” replied Thompson.
Andrews explained to Fallon that she and Thompson are friends with Kelce and have covered him on their podcast, so they just wanted to support his efforts in wooing Swift, 34.
“He had mentioned on his podcast that he went to the [Eras Tour] show, wanted to meet her afterwards, didn’t get the chance to. So we just started talking about it on our podcast saying, ‘Taylor, do this for America. Date him.’ I mean, the guy, he’s not ugly by any means,” Andrews said. “So we’re like, ‘Taylor, go!’
“We were advocating early on,” added Thompson. “And he was very sweet and he commented and he was like, ‘I owe you guys big time,’ so then of course everyone gives us credit. We, you know, we’ll take the credit. But I just love both of them and I’m so happy to see them happy.”
“That was you who did that, thank you,” said Fallon. “As a country, we’re thanking our servicemen and women [on Memorial Day], but we really have to thank you for what you’ve done for all of us. You brought us Taylor and Travis, oh my God.”
“You’re welcome, America,” joked Thompson, who also responded to Kelce’s Instagram comment: “Uncle Trav ❤️ we love you.”
Kelce’s Chiefs teammate and close friend Patrick Mahomes also believes himself to be the couple’s matchmaker, as he explained during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I like to take some of the credit,” said Mahomes. “I was the one who invited Travis to the first Taylor concert when the friendship bracelet [idea came up]. He was sitting in my suite, so I feel like I was the matchmaker.”
He continued: “I had some input in there as well. I was like, ‘Dude, you should go for it. Just go for it.’ And you know Travis, man. He does it. He’s a great dude. I’m glad that it’s all worked out for the best.”
Kelce and Swift went public with their relationship in September 2023 and have been supporting each other ever since. She attended 13 of Kelce’s NFL games, including Super Bowl LVIII where the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. He, in turn, has traveled the world to support Swift during her Eras Tour stops, most recently attending the 87th show — a.k.a. the one that aligns with his jersey number — at La Défense Arena in Paris.
“Taylor’s shows are unbelievable,” Kelce exclusively told Us Weekly at his Kelce Jam festival in Bonner Springs, Kansas on Saturday, May 18. “If you haven’t been to them, You got to try it.”
